Abstract:
The t h e s i s investigates the development of s a t i r e
i n Ihlala from its beginnings as a weapon f o r the
propagation of moral and s o c i a l control to its present
func tlon as a form of social entertainment. The
ultimate cause of t h i s development was the colonial
contact - a f a c t o r t h a t provided the impetus f o r the
reappraisal of several aspects of the c u l t u r a l system.
The study reveals that although the people of I h i a l a
have accommodated the transformation of s a t i r e , they
still r e t a i n some vestiges of the old s a t i r i c a l context.
Although the concept of a corrective s o c i a l function
for s a t i r e is apparent i n the songs, amusement is
equally appreciated and, indeed, may be the fundamental
impulse of s a t i r i c a l expression.
